Where did I go with my force fins?

[Bob Evans]

Back in January I was fortunate enough to cruise and explore French Polynesia aboard
the m/s Paul Gauguin. It was an invite from my dear friend that Susanne and I could not refuse. I started a short intro about my trip on my blog, so I will just add that the crew aboard the Paul Gauguin made my trip extra special and I would like to share some fun photos with you.

It started off with a wonderful greeting from Hotel Director Jacques Le Tallec

The Executive Chef Mark Bishop was a master at presenting one of kind dishes like this fresh MoonFish.

It was truly the best food we had ever tasted! Thanks for the extra kilos!
Another gentleman that we became friends with was the Maitre D Miki Kovacevic

Thank you for taking care of our every needs and sharing your thoughts about life.

I did indeed enjoy my time watching the water drift by in one of the most wonderful places in the world. My next post I look forward to sharing my observations while under the warm waters of French Polynesia

 

[Tom Winters]

Bob, please tell me that you didn't order "Freedom Fries" on that ship.

 

[Bob Evans]

Tom, I would like to share some "freedom Fries" with over 68,000 American Veterans living on the streets of America. I see them each morning laying in the bushes here in Santa Barbara, mostly Vietnam Veterans. I do what I can with spare change, but it saddens me these Servicemen and Women have been left to this fate. http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/more-political-articles/2010/7/19/us-government-to-americas-vets-drop-dead.html Be nice to jump up and down like they did in Egypt for these Hero's.

 

[Soakedlontra]

Bob,

French Polynesia looks gorgeous and I cannot believe the size of that pretty silver fish with white spots and red fins! I thought it was a sculpture at a first glance and without reading the caption!

Heading to Puerto Rico next month. It won't be exactly like F Polynesia but at least I will still spend some time in warm water away from dry suits headaches!

 

[Bob Evans]

Soakedlontra,
Enjoy the warm water of Puerto Rico. I look forward to hearing about your trip when you return.

Cruising aboard such a elegant ship like the m/s Paul Gauguin was
fascinating for many reasons and being able to be on the bridge of the
ship was one of them. I took this photo as we were pulling into our day
anchorage off the island of Bora Bora

This was a great day as it was going to be my first dive day of the trip.
It had been over a year since I had been diving with my old dive buddy and
it did not take long before I could feel his energy and enthusiasm for
being in the water.

The water was just what I needed and there was plenty of marine life to observe.

Although I did see a few discarded fishing lines on the dive, it was still a great experience.

I always try to take a self portrait and on this dive my dive buddy also squeezed in so we could remember the moment.

It was great to dive not only with my friends, but also with my wife Susanne and I caught
this great view of Susanne’s Tan Delta Flying Force Fins moving down the reef when we were coming into a nice school of fish toward the end of our dive.

L

 

[UnderwaterCameraHouse]

Nice pictures dude. It looks you enjoy the diving everywhere.

 

[Bob Evans]

Thanks for your kind words. These are the first digital photos I've taken underwater. Before this I used a Nikon F in an Aquatica Housing. When I joined Jonathan Bird for a Tiger Shark dive, and he was shooting circles around me, then downloading them for instant gradification - I was sold on coming into the digital photo world.

I called my friend Dave Haas, who knows the digital underwater photographic world better than anyone I know. He set me up with a Canon G12 and an Ikelite housing to get started. Still don't know how to get the most out of all the buttons, but I will get the hang of it, then advance onto better systems.

I love photography - that is where I started my career,1968, primarily documenting the California Channel Islands and the life developing below the offshore oil platforms of the Santa Barbara Channel, under contract with the American Petroleum Institute and most every oil company. I logged over 850 dives there in the 1970's. I then used an Ocean Eye housing made by Bates Littlehale.

YouTube - SCUBA diving, oil platform

I designed the Original Force Fin to better service me when taking pictures underwater.

It's funny you bring up underwater housings. Last night I was having dinner with one of the world's top sound engineers and his family. He brought up that my dear friend is marketing the deep sea housing I designed and manufacture to all the big movie folks like James Cameron without giving me credit!

I learned the craft from the greats - when I worked with Williard Bascom and Jack Mardesich of Jarmar. I have built quite a few housing systems. I'll ask Blair to post some pictures of my camera and the work in which they are used.

 

[TN Traveler]

Bob

Thought you might like this one taken in Cozumel on the cruise 2 weeks ago.

 

[Soakedlontra]

I called my friend Dave Haas, who knows the digital underwater photographic world better than anyone I know. He set me up with a Canon G12 and an Ikelite housing to get started. Still don't know how to get the most out of all the buttons, but I will get the hang of it, then advance onto better systems.

I am not an expert in camera housing by any means but I hope that your Ikelite housing works better that the one I have for the S90.

Happy snapping!

 

[Bob Evans]

soakedlontra, you inspired this site, I sure have enjoyed all your post, Tn's, beautiful Angle fish photo.....finally, fun to share with you some diving Susanne and I are doing . Can't wait to cast out the next set of photo's. . My good diving friend brings in the undersea action and I snapped away...amazed by the interaction. Your Fan, Bob